Head and face support devices are known in the prior art and are utilized to support a patient's head while he is lying in the prone position (face down) during surgery. If the patient is not properly supported the patient could be injured or he could have difficulty breathing. Previous attempts in the prior art have failed to provide optimal protection, safety and comfort for the patient.
Many surgical devices meant for head comfort contain polyurethane foams and various amounts of hardware meant for patient safety. Polyurethane can still leave dermatologic abrasions under certain conditions. These skin injuries are mainly due to inconsistent softness of the polyurethane foam itself. Additionally, many supplementary devices utilized along with the foams become ineffective under particular circumstances.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,637,058, 4,752,064, 5,269,035, and 5,613,501 illustrate various cushions meant to be utilized in prone position surgeries. These patents all contain center cavities that leave the eyes, nose, and mouth exposed, and also incorporate space to route endotracheal tubing. However, these patents do not accommodate for viewing the patient's face. Furthermore, these polyurethane foams contain variable densities, indentation load deflections, and softness that induce pressure upon the patient's face to cause abrasions.
Also, prior art methods of protecting the patient's face include attaching safety goggles to the patient's head. The lenses of these goggles are simple and mostly made of plastics. Movement of the patients during procedures can dent these lenses and induce pressure directly to the eyelid or eye, and thus lead to soft tissue damage.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,490,737, 6,842,924 and 8,549,683 describe the ability to monitor the patient's face through the use of a minor attached to the casing of the foam cushion. Even though this approach is simple and somewhat functional, the anesthesiologist or surgeon must orient themselves in various positions round the operating table in order to fully conduct proper observation of the patient's face. On some occasions the patient's head is covered with a blanket, and therefore the mirror is unable to reflect the patient's face.
Additionally, in the prone position, excess fluids that come from the patient's nasal or oral cavities can possibly contaminate other tools and instruments in the operating room. Therefore it is imperative that the accumulation of nasal and oral secretions be contained. None of the patents accommodate for these fluids, and thus excess sanitation procedures must be taken to eliminate possible sources of infection.
What is needed is an improved head support device for supporting a patient's head while lying in the prone position during surgery.